Although they broke up in 1970, just ten years after their formation, the Beatles’ vast collection of albums are still regularly played on millions of iTunes playlists across the world. The Fab Four played their first American concert on February 11, 1964. This February 11, the DC Preservation League and Douglas Development Corporation plan to pay homage to the band by reenacting this musical milestone so that it resembles the original performance as closely as possible.
Just two days after their epic performance on the Ed Sullivan show in 1964, John, Paul, George, and Ringo took the stage at the Uline Arena in D.C. and started their concert for the 8,092 thrilled fans screaming their excitement. The screaming continued until about thirty-five minutes into the show. A sixteen-year-old All Gore and eighteen-year-old Mike Mitchell, whose pictures famously captured the event, were two of the audience members present to witness music history unfold before their eyes.
This February 11, Beatlemania Now, one of the world’s most authentic Beatles tribute bands, will take the same stage to mark the 50th anniversary of this triumphant show. Local food trucks will also serve up some delicious treats, and Something Wild are set to perform some live music. The audience has the opportunity to buy Mike Mitchell’s original pictures from the Beatles’ show and proceeds from the sales go to the DC Preservation League.
Tickets go on sale November 1 and will range from $45 for standing and $100 for seating. The show is slated to start at exactly 8:31 p.m., which was the time the Beatles began to play during their original concert.
Unfortunately, the Uline Arena has seen better days and is more often known today as an indoor parking lot. The DC Preservation League has fought hard to get this location on the “Most Endangered Places for Washington” list and by 2006 the arena finally gained notoriety as an historic site. Douglas Development bought the arena in 2004 and wants to reinvent it as The Coliseum.
This epic show not only brings the historical impact of this arena to life, but it also helps move it into a new era of entertainment possibilities. It seems that decades after the band ended, the Beatles are still influencing music and music culture across the globe. 
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